According to a recent report by The Sun, Premier League strugglers Aston Villa are suggested to be among a host of clubs currently interested in acquiring the services of AC Milan’s Polish international striker Krzysztof Piatek. The youngster joined the Italian giants from fellow Serie A outfit Genoa this time last season but has heavily failed to live up to the massive expectations that were placed on his shoulders right from day one.
The report suggests that Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are all very keen on giving the striker an escape route from Milan. Still, it seems that Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham are in the driver’s seat in this regard.
The Milan club have already claimed that they’ll not accept any bids lower than £23m, especially considering that they paid over £30m to Genoa to first acquire his signature last winter. It has been suggested that the youngster prefers to move to a club at the same level as Milan, and considering that Spurs play Champions League football as well, it does look like the best fit of the lot.
What Would Piatek’s Attributes Add To This Aston Villa Side?
The Polish international striker made a name for himself at a flurry of lower league clubs before he was recognised by the Genoa scouts as one to watch out for. They acquired his services in the summer of 2018, and he spent just over a year and a half at the club before making the big-money switch to the fashion capital of Italy. He scored a whopping 22 league goals for both the teams combined last season and even managed to pick up eight goals in five Coppa Italia outings. This time around though, he’s managed just four league goals so far, and his influence within the side is dwindling.
The youngster is a tall and physical striker who can be a threat inside the six-yard box. He is an extremely smart footballer who tends to time runs into space very effectively. A strong header of the ball, the Polish international scores a large percentage of his goals through set-piece situations, but certainly has a well-balanced attacking skill-set as well. Able to fire the ball in with both feet, he would be an excellent addition to any team looking for a target man who can also link up the play and get-in behind the defence.
Why Aston Villa Must Go All Out For Piatek’s Services?
The Villans season has taken a massive turn in the wrong direction in recent weeks, owing largely to the injuries picked up by two key players within their squad. While the Tom Heaton problem can still be worked around, the ACL injury picked up by central striker Wesley is sure to come as a gutting blow to Dean Smith’s plans for the remainder of the season. Jonathan Kodjia and Kienan Davis are the Villans’ back-up options in the role, but depending on inexperienced heads like that for the rest of the campaign could be a grave mistake.
The need for a striker of Piatek’s quality is extremely high at Villa Park right now. Wesley had scored five league goals for the Villans before he picked up the injury, and neither of the substitute strikers’ performances would have filled Dean Smith with any great confidence.
While a move to one of the Premier League’s ‘bigger’ clubs in Tottenham is sure to look more attractive to the Polish striker himself, Aston Villa’s situation is undoubtedly the more grave one, and they must do everything in their power to get the Milan striker to choose Birmingham over North London.
